Rotary washing and drying machine



7 June 12, 1951 TRAUBE f 2,556,303

ROTARY WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed March 9, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. A [7/5/7507 77 54/275 A flarnays June 12, 1951 TRAUBE2,556,303

ROTARY WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed March 9, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Fig 5,

IN V EN TOR.

June 12, 1951 TRAUBE 2,556,303

ROTARY WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed March 9, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 53nventor fim/r am Tmue (Iltorneg Patented June 12, T951 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary machines 'for use in washing ordry-cleaning clothes and other articles and for use also, and moreparticularly, in the drying of such articles in. the same rotarycontainers. More specifically'the invention relates to a machine of thetype having a perforated drum mounted to rotate about a horizontal axiswithin a fixed container or casing, and adapted for relatively slowrotation in a bath of cleaning fiuid and for subsequent rotation at highspeeds to extract the said fluid by centriiugal action.-

One object of the present invention is to provide new or improvedmeanswhereby the same machine may be utilized for washing or drycleaningclothesor thelike and also for rinsing andfinally drying the samewithout the necessity for transference of the clothes from one ma= chineto another. -Another object of the invention is to provide improvedmeans whereby rinsing fluid may be supplied to the axis of the rotarydrum while extraction is taking place under centrifugalaction, and toprovide improved means whereby the drying of the clothes isfacilitated.by the delivery of hot dry air to the axis of the rotary drum: duringthe extraction process; and still: another object is to provide the saiddrum with hollow trunnions with improved means for the admission andcontrol of rinsing liquid and of drying air.

The improved means for the delivery of the rinsing spray and for thesubsequent drying op.- eration efiects a substantial saving in time,labor, and. expense and experiments have shown that improved results arealso obtained With the above andv other objects in view, the presentinvention consists in the novel construc tion and arrangement of partshereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat. various changes may be made in the constructional details withoutdeparting from the spirit of themvention or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of one form of the machine; Fig.2 is a detail View, in section, showing one of the hollow trunnions withits. associated parts; 3 is a View correspond.-

ing to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of spray control; Fig. .1. isa somewhat similar view but showing a different spray and fluid supplymeans; Fig. 5 is an end View of the spray device shown at Fig. 4; .Fig.6 is a diagram showing the lines followed by the opposed sprays inwardlydirected from the two hollow trunnions; and Fig. 'I is an end viewshowing a modified form of the machine.

The machine shown in the drawings is of the. type described in my priorpatents numbered 1,740,716and 2,126fi26 and the fixed outer casing Hiand inner rotary drum H are provided with hinged doors similar to thosedescribed in the patent numbered 2,291,511, the casing lil'having asingle door 12 and the drum I i having twin doors [3, l4, capable ofwithstanding centrifugal force when the drum rotates at a speed up tosevenhundred revolutions per minute.

Referring to Fig. 1 the machine casing It is mounted horizontally onsupportingbrackets l5 and in its end walls it it supports hollowtrunnions l? of the drum 5i so that the latter may rotate about ahorizontal axis. One of the trunnions H is provided with a pulley itwhile the other is provided with a toothed wheel l9, and suitabledriving means transmit rotary motion to one or other of these Wheelstorotate the drum 5 i slowly in one direction after the other during thewashing or cleaning operation andto rotate the drum at high speed in onedirection during the extracting process, as described in my said priorpatents, but any suitable means may be provided for the transmission ofth desired motion to the drum.

For the supply of clean dry heated air to the axis of the drum duringthe extracting or drying operation, two air ducts 2t, 2! lead from acas-. ing. 22 one to each of the trunnions 1?. Air is supplied to the csing 22 by means of a blower 23 actuated by a pulley 24 and-within thecasing-- the air passes in contact with a coil or a group of tubes 25heated by internal steam supplied by a pipe 26 and. exhausted by anescap pipe 27 so that air at the desired temperature may be supplied tothe drum at the desired pressure.

For the supply of rinsing water or other fluid to the axis of the drumtwo water pipes 28. 29 lead to the trunnions 1?, these pipes beingconnected with each other by a pipe 39 and being supplied through a pipe3i having a control valve 32, and rinsing fluid is supplied to said'pipe3i by a pipe 33"having a control valve 3 3 and, if so de sired, a pipe35 with a control valve 36 may be provided to-supply cleaning fluid,suds, or chemical mixtures to the pipe 5%! for introduction into thedrum through its trunnions instead of through the usual admission pipe3'! at the top'of the casing H3. For the discharge of fluids from themachine a drain pipe 38 is providedand a control or dump valve 39 may beclosed to retain the fluid during the washing or cleaning operation.

Referring to Fig. 2, the trunnion H is shown mounted in bearings li'i inthe end wall it of the casing, and the outer extremity of the trunnionreceives the mouth 4! of the duct 21. In line with the axis of the drumthe duct 2! is formed with a socket to receive a screw-threaded end 5-2on a connection 83 to which liquid is supplied by the said pipe 29.Extending through the connec tion 43 is a hollow rod 2 3 having a handleit at its outer end and carrying on its inner end a spray head 46 withperforations Lil designed to direct the spray in an axial direction andoutwardly towards the clothes contained in the drum and forced outwardlyby centrifugal force. In the position shown at Fig. 2 the rod 64 issupplied with water through openings 48 located within the connection 43in line with the pipe 29, and the inner extremity of the trunnion ii isclosed by the head 45. When the rod 44 is drawn out wardly by means ofthe handle as the water supply is cut off and the head it isaccommodated in the recess 39 so that a free passage is provided for theadmission of air through the duct 2 i.

In the operation of this machine for the washing of clothes and thelike, the articles to be washed are introduced through the doors i2, i3,I4, and, after said doors and the valve 39 have been closed, thecleaning fluid including the desired mixture of soap or chemicals may beintroduced either through the pipe 3? or through the trunnions by way ofthe pipe 35 or through both these pipes simultaneously, and the liquidlevel in the machine may be observed through the gage 50. The drum isthen rotated at low speed first in one direction and then in the otheruntil the completion of the washing operation, and the liquid is thendrained off through the pipe 38, after which the drum is rotated at highspeed to throw off by centrifugal force the soiled liquid held by theclothes and, at the same time, rinsing liquid is sprayed into thetrunnions ll so that the soiled liquid is followed by rinsing liquiduntil all soil has been removed from the clothes. The supply of rinsingliquid is then cut off and while the drum continues to rotate at highspeed, clean dry heated air may be supplied through the trunnions to drythe clothes in the drum.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of the spray device comprising a perforatedspray head 55 carried by a series of telescopic sections 52 enclosing anoperating rod 53 and supplied with liquid through a passage ill from thepipe 29 and when it is desired to deliver drying air through the duct 26the rod 53 may be drawn outwardly by means of its handle 55 until thesections 52 are all accommodated within the off-set portion 58 of theair supply duct.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a further modification in which the supply pipe 29delivers the spray liquid to a fixed pipe 57 supported at its outer endin the air duct and carrying at its inner xtremity a spider comprising acentral hollow head 58 and four angularly projecting pipes 59 havingtheir free ends plugged, and the said head 58 and pipes 59 areperforated in such manner as to direct the spray in the desireddirection and free passage of drying air from the duct 25 to thetrunnion I! is permitted without the necessity of withdrawing the saidspider from the trunnion.

Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically the approximate direction of the spraysfacing each other at both ends of the drum and it will be readilyunderstood that the spray liquid is absorbed by the clothes in therapidly rotating drum and passes outwardly therethrough by centrifugalforce and the cylindrical layer of clothes receives uniformlysatisfactory treatment by th rinsing liquid with the result thatcomplete removal is effected of any loose soil that might be left in theclothes after the extraction of the washing or cleansing liquid.

Referring to Fig. 7, which shows a machine having modified means for theactuation of the rotary drum and for the supply of drying air thereto,the internal parts are similar to those above-described with referenceto Fig. l and the operation is substantially the same. In this modifiedarrangement the rotary drum has a single belt pulley 60 which may bedriven by a belt 6| from a pulley 62 to which the desired motion isimparted from a gear set of any suitable or wellknown constructionenclosed within a gear box 53 and power is transmitted to this gear setby means of a belt 54 from an electric motor 65, and by actuation of thegear controls the drum may be caused to turn first in one direction andthen the other at slow speed for the washing operation and also ifdesired for the air-drying operation hereinafter described, so that theclothes in the drum are tumbled about during the washing and part of thedrying operation. The said gear is also adapted for the transmission ofcontinuous motion at high speed for the centrifugal operations ofrinsing and extracting above-described. For the supply of dryin air, anair heater E6 is mounted on a bracket 61 on the end wall it of thecasing and is provided with a suitable coil or the like for the heatingmedium. From the heater 66 ducts 65 lead to the hollow trunnions of themachine and, in operation, the heated air is drawn through these ductsinto the drum by the action of a fan or other blower 69 operated througha belt gear it by an electric motor H.

The fan E9 and motor H are mounted on a bracket 72 on the end of themachine and a duct 13 leads from the fan to the outlet pipe 38 at thebottom of the casing so that the hot drying air may be drawn into andthrough the drum while the clothes are being tumbled over during theslow forward and reverse motion of the drum or while the drum isrotating at high speed and the clothes ar being subjected to centrifugalforce. The dump valve 39 is opened to drain off the washing and rinsingwater, but is closed while the drying air is being drawn through themachine by the action of the fan 59.

Although the drawings and the above specification disclose the bestmodes in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire tobe in no way limited to the details of such disclosure for in thefurther practical application of my invention many changes inconstructional details may be made as circumstances require orexperience suggests without departing from the spirit of the inventionwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A machine of the character described for washing or dry-cleaningclothes and like articles, comprising a fixed outer casing, a hollowrotary drum mounted within the casing and having end walls and aperforated cylindrical wall and enclosing a space for the accommodationof said articles without interruption at the axis of the drum, hollowtrunnions on said end walls communicating with the interior of the drumand extending through the walls of the casing, means for the supply ofcleaning fluid to the casing, a

spray head located in the inner extremity of the hollow trunnion at eachend of the drum for directing sprays of rinsing liquid against the saidarticles in the interior of the drum, said sprays being directedoutwardly from .the axis of the drum and in angular relationjtheretowhile the drum is rotated at a speed siifllcient to discharge suchrinsing liquid centrifugally through the said cylindrical wall, a hollowcontrol rod connected to and extending outwardly fromeach of said sprayheads, means for the supply of rinsing liquid through said rods to saidheads when the latter are in the operative position; and ducts for thesupply of drying air to the outer extremities of both said hollowtrunnions for admission to the ends of the drum after the sprayingoperation.

2. A machine of the character described for washing and dry-cleaningclothes and like articles, comprising a fixed outer casing, a hollowrotary drum mounted within the casing and having end walls and aperforated "cylindrical wall enclosing a space for the accommodation ofsaid articles without interruption at the axis of the drum, hollowtrunnions on said end walls communicating with the interior of the drumand extending through the walls of the casing, means for the supply ofcleaning fluid to'ithe casing, a spray head located in the innerextremity of the hollow trunnion at each end of the drum for directingsprays of rinsing liquid to the interior of the drum in directionoutwardly from the axis of the drum and in angular relation theretowhile 6 the drum is rotated at a speed suificient to discharge suchrinsing liquid centrifugally through the cylindrical wall, telescopicmeans for the conveyance of liquid to said heads, handles connected tosaid heads for the collapse of said telescopic members and for thewithdrawal of said heads from the trunnions, and ducts for the supply ofdrying air to the outer extremities of both said hollow trunnions foradmission to the ends of the drum after the spraying operation.

ABRAHAM TRAUBE.

REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 100,120 Cook Feb. 22, 1870246,547 Patterson Aug. 30, 1881 774,407 Venter Nov. 8, 1904 854,415Glasel May 21, 1907 1,591,779 Reedy July 6, 1926 1,948,568 Faber Feb.27, 1934 2,004,419 Schumacher June 11, 1935 2,098,066 Sibson Nov. 2,1937 2,101,634 Aldridge Dec. 7, 1937 2,126,426 Traube Aug. 9, 1938FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,693 Great Britain 1898

